SWABI, Nov 3: Parliamentary party leader of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal in the National Assembly Qazi Hussain Ahmad has said that there is no place for the Legal Framework Order on the statute-book.

The amendments made to the 1973 Constitution by the military regime were not acceptable to the MMA and the alliance would uphold the supremacy of the Constitution at all costs, said the MMA vice president while talking to party workers here on Sunday.

At the meeting Qazi Hussain Ahmad discussed formation of the next government and the outcome of MMA’s talks with the leaders of other political parties.

Qazi Hussain assured the party leaders and workers that the MMA would make allout efforts for the establishment of an Islamic society and it would never compromise on its nominee for the prime minister’s slot.

He said the government had fixed Friday for the inaugural session of the National Assembly and in the two-day period before the session all the major parties would have enough time to remove the deadlock and finalize their candidates for the top slot. “Our doors are open but we would not compromise on the principles even if we have to sit on the opposition benches,” the MMA leader said.

“There are three basic demands of the MMA: one the name of MMA nominee for premiership, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, would not be withdrawn, two the supremacy of parliament would be upheld, and three the country’s sovereignty would be safeguarded at all costs,” Qazi Hussain said.

“We will not compromise on these issues and those who are toeing the military regime’s policy should reassess their position and approach. We are elected by the people to protect state’s vital interests, which are supreme in all circumstances.”

Clarifying his position on the LFO, the MMA vice president said: “We will take the oath only under the 1973 Constitution. There is no place for the LFO. Only parliament can make laws or amend the statute-book. A person can neither amend nor make laws for a nation. This is our stand and we are sticking to it.”

He said if Gen Musharraf wanted to remain president of the country, he should get himself elected in a constitutional way. Only the elected representatives were empowered to elect the new president and the MMA wanted the implementation of the same rules, he said.

He said: “Those who predict that the MMA governments in the NWFP and Balochistan would collapse in a short time, live in a fool’s paradise. In fact, our governments would influence the politics of the whole world, because we would never compromise on our sovereignty and national interests.”

He said there was no need to amend the Constitution for the establishment of an Islamic society, hoping that all the other parties in the National Assembly would support the MMA in this regard.

Qazi Hussain criticized the Musharraf government for giving a free-hand to the US intelligence agencies to detain anyone anywhere in the country over suspicion of having links to Al Qaeda. “Such meddling in our internal affairs by the US is not acceptable to MMA,” he said and demanded the immediate release of Dr Aamir Aziz, who was picked up by the FBI from Lahore.

He said when the MMA called for the release of Dr Aziz, the government said that it had no control over the FBI, which made the situation more suspicious and controversial. “The Americans must stop meddling in our internal affairs,” he said.